Quick Take
In a contentious meeting marked by accusations of racism and sharp divisions among members, the Pajaro Valley Unified School District governing board voted to renew contracts placing police officers in its three high schools. Despite public outcry over racial disparities and budget concerns, a majority of trustees approved the school resource officer program, which pairs law enforcement with mental health clinicians.
Pajaro Valley Unified School District trustees, parents, community members and teachers exchanged heated comments, many related to racism, during a board meeting Wednesday that saw the governing board renew a controversial program placing law enforcement officers in the district’s three high schools.
The board approved — by majority votes — contracts with the Watsonville Police Department and Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office to continue the school resource officer program, which employs law enforcement officers and pairs them with mental health clinicians at Pajaro Valley, Watsonville and Aptos high schools.
That pairing program was approved by the board in September 2021, after an outcry from community members urging the board to bring officers back to schools following the fatal stabbing of a student at Aptos High School in August that year. The board had previously voted to end the school resource officer program in 2020, amid protests against police brutality and systemic racism after the murder of George Floyd.
The district on Wednesday approved a contract with the Watsonville Police Department for $291,630 for two police officers who will work at Pajaro Valley High and Watsonville High from Aug. 11 to June 5, 2026. Trustees also approved a contract with the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office for one deputy who will work at Aptos High School from July 1 to June 30, 2026. They will be compensated $816.18 per day and the sheriff’s office would cover 25% of the costs.
Board member Misty Navarro, who voted in favor of the contracts, said the fatal stabbing of the student “rocked” the community. She represents the La Selva Beach and Rio Del Mar areas.
“I think it would be tone-deaf to get rid of the SROs,” she said.
Trustee Gabe Medina, who attempted to postpone the votes to the next meeting, strongly opposed the contracts.
“Safety must be rooted in prevention, not policing,” he said.
Wednesday’s meeting highlighted a long-standing divide in the district between community members who support school resource officers and those who don’t. The meeting also saw tensions between trustees on full display.
Several times throughout the meeting, Medina and other trustees sparred over rules that govern public meetings, called the Brown Act. Medina repeatedly spoke over other trustees, including Navarro, who told him, “Stop acting like a child.” In a similar incident between Medina and Board President Olivia Flores, she said, “This is exactly why we have [legal] counsel here, because you bully me.”
At least in two separate moments, people from the crowd shouted, “You’re racist” after Medina made comments, including when the trustee said that because 51.1% of mass shooters nationwide are white he does agree that “we do need somebody to make sure that our brown students are protected,” alluding to school resource officers.
For years, opponents of the school resource officer program have cited studies showing that the presence of law enforcement on school campuses disproportionately affects students of color. One study, included in a presentation by former PVUSD superintendent Michelle Rodriguez in 2021, cited an American Civil Liberties Union study that found Latino students were arrested at a rate 1.3 times higher that of white students.
On Wednesday, opponents pointed to the disparities and also said that the law enforcement agencies should finance the programs rather than the district footing the bill.
Supporters of the school resource officers, including several members of the Santa Cruz County Republicans executive board and Watsonville residents, said they believed having an officer on the Aptos High School campus could have prevented the fatal stabbing.
Bobby Marchessault, a teacher at Watsonville Charter School of the Arts, criticized the board for considering paying for the officers at a time when the district is in a budget crisis. District administrators say they will have to lay off staff in the coming year to help balance the budget.
“This board, this district is talking about laying off teachers next year in huge numbers. We are an educational institution. We are not here to hire police officers,” he said. “And at the end of the day, if this is truly a public safety issue, it is our city and county that should be paying for this to happen.”
Brandon Diniz, president of the teachers union, shared a similar sentiment, and said the district should instead bring organizations into the schools that provide mentors to students, like Barrios Unidos. The organization provides a wide range of services to children, families and people who have been impacted by the justice system. Its contract with Pajaro Valley High School was recently terminated.
“We should renew the contract with our community partners like Barrios Unidos, who are actually reflective of our students’ struggles and our students’ voice,” Diniz said. “Our students need mentors of all shapes, sizes, colors and creeds and Barrios United has a place in our school. The district should not be subsidizing the police.”
People supporting the school resource officer program, including Rory Odegaard, said they believe the officers keep students safe.
“I’ve also heard from law enforcement officers that have done this job for the Santa Cruz County sheriffs, and they said, ‘You can’t begin to understand the importance of having an officer there, just the very presence prevents problems,’” he said.
He came to the meeting because he knew families who attend Aptos High School and were affected by the fatal stabbing. Odegaard, who brought two of his sons to the meeting, said his kids didn’t attend PVUSD schools but were homeschooled.
Trustees Jessica Carrasco and Medina were the only board members to vote against the contracts, while trustees Daniel Dodge Jr., Flores, Navarro and Carol Turley voted in support of the contracts. Trustee Joy Flynn was absent for medical reasons. She represents more than half of the Aptos area and Corralitos.
FOR THE RECORD: This story was updated to reflect that Trustee Joy Flynn represents the area including Aptos High School, not Trustee Misty Navarro. Navarro represents the Rio Del Mar and La Selva Beach areas.
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